Emergency 18

Stephen stands next to a lone tree, only steps away from his home. One side of the tree is burned, while the other side appears to be untouched. It’s a reminder of just how close his home, just outside of Quesnel, was to being completely destroyed by the British Columbia Wildfires of 2017.
 

Since August 25, 2017, more than 700,000 people have fled violence in Myanmar’s Rakhine State for Bangladesh. Dealing with a protracted crisis such as this is a complex operation, one that involves a host of different organizations. Effective coordination in the response is essential to ensure that supporting those most in need of humanitarian assistance remains the number one objective.

No matter how careful, emergencies on the ice can still happen. Here is what to do if you fall through the ice, or you need to help someone fall through the ice. 

This is the story of a small guinea pig named Gertrude Rose who escaped a devastating house fire with her human. They are now slowly recovering thanks to the efforts of local fire and paramedics, the comfort they give each other and the support of the Canadian Red Cross.

Shawn Gervais and his family received two alerts on their cell phones before the tornado hit – one warned them of high winds, the next one told them to take shelter immediately. Now the family is recovering from the disaster, with help from the Canadian Red Cross. 

Many of you come to us during disasters with offers of support and donations, but also with questions about how the Red Cross helps in the immediate aftermath of an emergency. We hope this information will help in understanding what type of assistance we provide.

For the second time in a matter of months, Ebola once again threatens lives in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). With an outbreak of Ebola in DRC’s North Kivu declared in August, fast response is needed to contain the disease’s devastation on communities already weakened by armed conflict. Canadian aid worker Jamie LeSueur has led the Ebola response operation for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

I noticed Bertrand, Carmen and their adorable Maggie (okay let’s be honest, mostly Maggie) when I arrived at the Centre. Several metres away from the bench where they have set up camp, signs indicate that no dogs are allowed beyond the doors. I see that it’s out of the question for them to part with their beloved Pomeranian.